Happy 13th Birthday!

Today was a beautiful day to celebrate your birthday!  It warmed up to the low 50's, which feels pretty amazing for February in Boise!  We missed having Zach and Shaylin here celebrating with us.  Shaylin released a balloon in Poland for you and she sent a note for us to put in a balloon here for you.  

It was also fun having Miumiu join us in our balloon release.  She even wrote a note for you!  Here the family is walking to our favorite spot to do the balloon release.  

I love what "pink" thing Ethan chose to wear to celebrate Candace today!

It was a beautiful pink sunset!

We love you Candace!  Happy Birthday!

When we got home, I needed to open a new box of Kleenex.  We only had one box left and look what is on the outside of the box!  Butterflies!  I know that God is in the details of our lives!  

Here's a post I put on Facebook on Valentine's Day this year:

Happy Valentine's Day Friends! I'm not a big poster on Facebook, but my heart is bursting today with gratitude and I want to share! Yesterday was our angel daughter's 13th birthday! She's never far from my heart, but this time of year she is constantly on my mind. Thank you for all the kind texts, comments, and drop-by gifts. Each one is so appreciated to know that SHE is not forgotten!

Valentine's Day is a tender day for us, as it's the day she left this earth. Kind of ironic that my heart literally felt broken on this day of hearts. I wish I could steal a quick hug, snuggle her beside me and stroke her cheek...but I will wait patiently for that coming day when our daughter will live again. Valentine's Day holds so much more meaning for me now. It is forever a symbol of Perfect Love given from my Savior Jesus Christ. Because of Him, our daughter will be whole and complete and live again! Because of Him, death is not the end for any of us! Because of Him, we all can return to our Heavenly Father's presence! This is what Valentine's Day means to me. It's when my heart will be healed.

I also am feeling so grateful for my #1 Valentine, Jonathan Carroll. Together we made the choice 21 years ago to marry in God's Holy Temple and make a covenant with the Lord, and then through proper priesthood authority, be sealed together for eternity, which also seals/binds our children to us. We have never regretted that decision! This knowledge brings our family so much peace, knowing we will be reunited with Candace again and our family will be complete and whole in a future day!

http://jesuschrist.lds.org/SonOfGod?lang=eng&_r=1

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples?lang=eng